Is 128gb SSD enough for OS and programs?

[Spidey1978]

As the title suggests I am enquiring whether a 128gb SSD would have enough capacity for my OS and programs. I have Windows 7 64bit and will want Adobe CS6 Production Premium and a few games at a time. Now I reckon this would come to around 80gb(ish) so will be under 128gb but do SSDs slow down noticably when they get too full? Probably going for Samsung 840 Pro but need to decide if 128gb is enough or if I should just put my hands a bit deeper in my pocket and get the 256gb to ensure future space requirements.

What do you reckon?

[Bluecube]

From a future proofing point of view as well as value for money point of view, going for a 256Gb job will save you some bother in the future if your requirements change. I would also confirm just how much space Windows 7, CS6 and those few games take up as it may be more than you think!

From my own experience, SSDs don't slow down as they get full. Plus the way they work means that they just plain shouldn't slow down as there's no write head shuttling back and forth hunting for fragmented files.

[jim]

Games are the big problem, especially when some of them can go up to 15-20GB each. I'm using a 256GB SSD at the moment, with 10 proper games installed and about 20GB spare. If I was more careful I could definitely do it - at present Steam uses 155GB of a total 213GB, so without Steam we're talking approximately 60GB. Then I could fit maybe 3-4 big games on there as well.

For me though, that wouldn't be any use - I need to keep Napoleon Total War, Shogun 2, and TF2 on my PC all the time in case someone fancies playing multiplayer, and then I usually have 3-4 on the go as well (right now LA Noire, Sleeping Dogs and Witcher 2) - hence why I have 256GB.

[very deli reef]

Games are the big problem, especially when some of them can go up to 15-20GB each. I'm using a 256GB SSD at the moment, with 10 proper games installed and about 20GB spare. If I was more careful I could definitely do it - at present Steam uses 155GB of a total 213GB, so without Steam we're talking approximately 60GB. Then I could fit maybe 3-4 big games on there as well.

For me though, that wouldn't be any use - I need to keep Napoleon Total War, Shogun 2, and TF2 on my PC all the time in case someone fancies playing multiplayer, and then I usually have 3-4 on the go as well (right now LA Noire, Sleeping Dogs and Witcher 2) - hence why I have 256GB.

For the games that you never really play, but want to have installed just in case, consider moving them to a different drive. Steam allows you to install non-Source based games to a location other than the default one. Of course, the games will then be slow to load

[Spidey1978]

Thinking that for 'future proofing' I'm going to have to go for a 256Gb drive and then have some mechanical drives for media like photos, musics, videos, etc... Just got to decide on what to get now. So many to choose from.

[jim]

For the games that you never really play, but want to have installed just in case, consider moving them to a different drive. Steam allows you to install non-Source based games to a location other than the default one. Of course, the games will then be slow to load

Quite, hence why I went with a 256GB SSD so I never needed to. I could start moving them, but 10 is easily sufficient for my purposes so I just add and remove as necessary.

[Million]

Scan have the OCZ Octane 256GB SATA III on TO for £117.59 now, I think that's what I'm going to get to do what you want to do

[tedz10f]

Yes it should be fine but I recommend getting a cheap hdd and use the ssd to load up files you use most often. the space will get cramped quick but it will b
e fine

[Bluecube]

Just seen that Amazon have the 250Gb Samsung 840 for sale at £125. Well worth a look at.

[Pob255]

Personally a 128gb is fine if you watch out for the games and don't save video files to it.
I've got a 150gb hdd in my laptop, window7, office 2010, paint.net and a few smallish games (it cannot handle most big games) largest is probably Dawn of war soul storm
I'm using around 100gb but about 30gb of that is downloaded stuff, that's the other thing I'd watch out for, it's very easy to download stuff and just leave it there.

On my pc I've got all my games, music, video and download folder on a separate 1tb hard drive (half full now)
win7 and non-game programs are on a 500gb drive but it's only using about 60gb atm

[Spidey1978]

Scan have the OCZ Octane 256GB SATA III on TO for £117.59 now, I think that's what I'm going to get to do what you want to do

Yeah - this is not my next decision - Do I go for a more value SSD like the OCZ Octane, or Samung 840 or Sandisk Extreme or Intel 335 OR do I go for the top performers like Samsung 840 pro or Plextor M5 Pro or Intel 520 and pay a little more on for a more premium drive. Tough decisions.

[sha-1]

I have a 60GB SSD and it's completely sufficient. Different requirements of course as I don't play games, and normal software generally doesn't take up much space (haven't used Windows in a long time, so this comes from a Linux perspective).

[RhinoUK]

Yeah - this is not my next decision - Do I go for a more value SSD like the OCZ Octane, or Samung 840 or Sandisk Extreme or Intel 335 OR do I go for the top performers like Samsung 840 pro or Plextor M5 Pro or Intel 520 and pay a little more on for a more premium drive. Tough decisions.

I am happy with my 520's and havent had any issues with either of them and was in the same situation as yourself, in the end i spent the extra money because of the manufacturer's reputation and 5 year warranty.

[MrFawlty]

I'd like to chip into this. I can afford either a Samsung 128Gb 840 Pro or a 250Gb 840 standard. Should I go for the Pro? I have got a new 2Tb HDD for my storage needs, so it's only for a boot drive with the games I am currently playing and a few productivity applications thrown in too.

[deejayburnout]

I personally have a 60gb SSD for windows and another 128 SSD for my games and have about 20gb free on windows drive and all works.fine.

both drives cost me around £100. might not be the best but all works brilliant.

[jim]

I'd like to chip into this. I can afford either a Samsung 128Gb 840 Pro or a 250Gb 840 standard. Should I go for the Pro? I have got a new 2Tb HDD for my storage needs, so it's only for a boot drive with the games I am currently playing and a few productivity applications thrown in too.

I'd get the extra space. You're not going to notice a speed increase, if that's your reasoning for picking the Pro.

If you really can't think of what you're going to use the extra 128GB for (I like having a bit of headroom, and there are always things you can put on an SSD later) then you might as well get the 128GB standard and spend your cash elsewhere.